Less Traveled By ~ Homeschool Edition

Home Education Week-Show and Tell

Today's Prompt: 
Show off those talents. Share a story, a special moment, a piece of artwork. Any accomplishment, great or small, is fair game.

Here's a little something from both JB and me.  :-)

JB's first two art projects using the Atelier art program (level one):

(Emphasis on coloring mixing.)

(Emphasis on types of line.)

I love the personality in the caterpillar's face!

And continuing on the art theme, here is a piece I did in the last few years.  I can't believe it's been almost a year since I've worked on any projects.  I was taking lessons from a local artist and this was a project from class.

And though this is just a quick sketch during a portrait class, it is one of my favorite things I've done.....I think because I was having so much fun:

I have always liked portraits, though I have only done a few.  In class I discovered a great love of pastels, and and here is a piece that I completed outside of class----but still over two years ago now.

I think I will make it a goal of mine to set back to working on portraits at least once a month (I tend to be a work on something until it's as finished as I can make it in a short period of time sort of gal).  JB might soon be old enough to sit still enough for a quick sketch.  I also learned from class that I can get a much better likeness of someone when working from a model versus a photograph.  (At least I think so.)  So I am looking forward to the day when she can sit for an even longer period of time.  Meanwhile, I shall try working from some recent photographs as well.

Thanks for visiting our "show and tell"!  :-)

Home Education Week is sponsored by Dana at Principled Discovery.  If you'd like to see more "Show and Tell" entries, please visit here. 

Home Education Week - A Recipe

Today's writing prompt:
It is also National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day! So share a recipe…figuratively, as in two parts love, one part creativity, or literally, as in a super quick, nutritious meal your kids scarf up. Think about what you do in the day, what helps keep it organized and you sane (or how you got past that need for organization and saneness!), and curriculum materials you find effective.

I'll share a food recipe today.  It is super easy and quick----and though I just made it recently, I do think it will go into the regular rotation of meals we enjoy.  It is a variation of a recipe I found on http://www.fatfreevegan.com

Pasta and Beans (4 servings)

16 ounces canned tomatoes (your choice of type---I used diced)
19 ounces canned cannellini beans -- rinsed and drained
4 cups cooked pasta

Place the tomatoes and beans in a skillet to heat and simmer with added herbs (either Italian seasoning mix or basil or whatever you prefer).  Add in pasta to heat and serve.

Viola!

You can top it with parmesean cheese if you'd like.  You could also add in any type of vegetable.  I think that the next time I make it I will use two cans of beans and also a can of crushed tomatoes.  My dd picked out all of her beans and wanted more.  (She ate the pasta too, but just wanted more beans.)

Home Education Week is sponsored by Dana at Principled Discovery.  To read more recipes, please visit here.

Home Education Week - April Fool's

Today's writing prompt: 
We have likely all felt the fool in one way or another. Share your greatest challenge. Or one of those terrible, horrible no good, very bad days where the only thing there is to do seems to involve moving to Australia.

My greatest challenge by far is trying to mesh my *ideals* with what I am actually able to put in to practice.  I'd love to have a:

• Principle Approach (teach from a Biblical worldview with all subjects based upon Biblical principles)
• Charlotte Mason (rich, varied, full of arts and good literature......I think Charlotte Mason was herself a Principle Approach type of gal)
• Classical (since I understand both the Principle Approach and Charlotte Mason to be classical methods by some definitions, I'll just say this would include being sure we add Latin and/or Greek to our studies)

homeschool in full swing (right) NOW!  :-)  (There is more to each of those methods than what I've highlighted in parenthesis, but you get the idea......high ideals!  :-) )

I am learning to be patient with myself and to let go of *my* ideals and to rest in the fact that Jesus says "My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (Matthew 11:30)  There is no way that planning for the education of JB should be as complicated as I make it in my head (said with a laugh, somewhat jokingly).  I want so much to do things *right* and to educate her well, that I can go into the mode of spinning my wheels in planning/evaluating curricula, concepts and methods.

I (finally) am HEARING it when master teachers say "teach what you know" in regard to what God would have me teach JB.  I trust that God has given us this precious child knowing full well all that I (we) would struggle with and through; and that His plans for JB are for good----despite me and my shortcomings and all that I never learned or thought about until now.  :-)  Her education will be exactly what she needs---whatever that entails---through the years because He already knows what that will be.  So I am learning to relax and wait upon the Lord.  Easier said than done for this planner/analyzer type gal----which is how God made me after all :-) .  So good to know He isn't finished with me yet!

Now practically speaking, I feel a bit foolish over all the curriculum I've looked through and some that I've tried.   When I taught children in a school setting, I pretty much developed lesson plans/curriculum based on the state benchmarks without anything prescribed in the way of textbooks, teacher's guides or such for my own students.  (At one point, I even worked on a curriculum team writing lesson plans for our entire school!)  For five of the ten years I taught, I worked in a multi-age classroom setting with kindergarten, first and second grade level students spanning about four years in chronological age.  I HAD to look at individual needs instead of following a guide for a specific grade.   So the fact that I have quite a few things sitting up on shelves that I'll be selling this summer makes me chuckle (in an embarrassed, shaking my head sort of way). 

A struggle for me has been finding what fits our daughter instead of having to balance the needs of many or making her fit into a certain type of program------and to letting go of the "but if she was in a classroom she'd be doing _____ and _____ and _____" kind of thinking guilt thinking (usually based in seasonal, fun crafts or theme studies or such).   Not that we can't do those kinds of activities at home (and we do from time to time), but it is so different planning for one than for twenty-five.   There really is no need for so much of what goes on in a classroom at home (even the *fun* stuff), and that is OKAY.....LOL.... 

So teach us to number our days that we may get
a heart of wisdom. 
And let the beauty and delightfulness and favor of the Lord our God
be upon us; confirm and establish the work of our hands--
yes, the work of our hands, confirm and establish it.
Psalm 90: 12, 17 (Amplified Version)

Home Education Week is sponsored by Dana at Principled Discovery.  To read more "April Fool's" posts, please visit here.

Home Education Week- Our Profile

Today's writing prompt: Describe yourself, your family or one of your children. What is it like to be home educated in your family? What is “normal” for you?

We are a family of three and we are just beginning in our "official" homeschool journey.   Since we are at the beginning, we are focusing on the basics; and JB has had a super year (in my estimation anyway)!  :-)  We also have the fun of spending time with my niece a few days a week.  JB loves her little cousin so and it has been wonderful for them to have this time together. 

Our days are fairly relaxed since it's just the two of us (in regard to schooling time).  I enjoy having the flexibility to follow JB's interests and she enjoys working during her "school time".   We have table time for reading and math exercises about four times a week (either at the kitchen table, at our upstairs table, or outside on the picnic table).  We listen to/sing Spanish songs during travels, head to the zoo when it's nice weather out, and snuggle on the couch (or in the outside swing) to take turns reading.  We read from the Bible/Bible story books, children's literature, and added in history tales reading around mid-year.   We work on science experiments from time to time.   JB likes crafts and sewing and working on art projects (all done occasionally and not on a set schedule).  We spend time with others in our local homeschool group at least a couple of times a month.  Add in ballet once a week and nightly family devotions------and there you have a sampling of what it's like to learn together in our family.

You can "see" a little more of what learning looks like in our family here and here .

Home Education Week is sponsored by Dana at Principled Discovery.  To read other posts on this topic, please visit here.

Edited to add a "Wanted Poster" as suggested in Dana's post.  FUN!

Home Education Week-Looking Back

Today's writing prompt:
Share your personal history…before you were a home educator. What was life like? Think about things you miss and things you and your family have gained.

Before I was a home educator, I was a classroom educator.  I think I am a "born teacher".  I actually set up and played school with my younger siblings throughout our early childhood days.   Evidently my youngest sister's kindergarten teacher asked my mom where she went to preschool to which my mom replied "at home with her big sister".....or something like that.   (So perhaps I am actually a "born homeschooler".  LOL :-)  ) 

When I was in third grade, if I finished my work early I was allowed to go back to my kindergarten teacher's room and I would help her check papers and put on smiley faces on them and then put them in the kids cubbies.  I loved it!  I spent a few years in junior high as a day camp counselor and also worked in a day care center one summer when I was older.  In college I coached YMCA basketball and worked with the preschool choir at church.  So from the beginning I've always enjoyed working to help others learn.

I graduated from college and began my official career teaching children when I was twenty-one.  I taught for ten years before I became a momma, and thankfully I have been home with our daughter from her birth.  I was sharing with her just this past week that God answered my prayers to be able to stay home with her.  Before she was born, my husband and I had planned for me to stay home with her for about eight months before we thought I would need to return to working outside of the home (we only had enough saved up for me to stay home that long).  Once I met her face to face, I could not imagine leaving her with strangers (and I suddenly understood all those kindergarten mommas that stood outside the classroom windows for at least half the day!); and I  continue to be thankful to be with her every day.

Not only did God answer our prayers for me to stay home, He brought us "home" to the town where most of my family lives when JB was about 7 months old as part of His answer.     It is so nice to be near my parents and siblings (we're all in the same state, though three of us live within 3o minutes of each other).  My husband's family is also in the same state.  We are thankful.

When JB was about two years old I think it was, I began to think about homeschooling.  My mom still chuckles from time to time remembering the days when as a public school teacher I questioned homeschooling!  My husband and I talked about it over time and I knew it was another answered prayer when he said, "yes, we should homeschool JB!"  I knew then that it was what God had planned for us.

So I've spent the past few years reading about homeschooling methods, philosophies and resources.  There is a big wide world outside of government schooling!  ....LOL.... It is almost overwhelming at times sorting through it all.  Since I tend to by nature be interested in all things education, I have thoroughly enjoyed researching and discovering new ideas/resources and such.  (Though this can also be a hard thing for me, which I will write about later this week most likely.)

There is not much about life before homeschooling that I miss.  As much as I enjoyed teaching other children (and I loved them!) I would not trade these days for those.  I love my husband.  I love my daughter.   I enjoy the time I've been given with them.  They are blessings in my life.   From time to time I do miss the camaraderie of planning with others/bouncing ideas around and going to education conferences with friends.  I am a member of a great support group in town; as well as a member of several online communities of wonderful ladies, so that helps.  I attended our local homeschool conference the last two years and have heard nothing but good things about our state level convention---which I hope to attend sooner than later.  I have also participated in Cindy Rushton's online Charlotte Mason seminar for the past two years. So there are still opportunities for fellowship and continual learning and inspiration.

Time learning and growing  together is one thing we have gained in homeschooling-----I am so thankful for the days we have been given (which seem to be passing all too quickly).

Home Education Week is sponsored by Dana at Principled Discovery.  To read the "Looking Back" posts of others, please visit here.

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Speaking of online seminars, Cindy Rushton is gearing up for the Second Annual Ultimate Homeschool Expo (with free preview sessions taking place weekly now) and Heart of the Matter Online is planning a virtual seminar for this summer. 

Home Education Week

Next week is the second "official" Home Education Week in the sunshine state, and coincidentally it is also Home Education Week in the state of Nebraska.

Dana over at Principled Discovery is hosting an online Home Education Week for homeschoolers all over.  If you'd like to participate, check out her blog for the daily writing prompts.  I think the prompts she has given will be fun to write about and I'm planning to participate and break out of my non-blogging and get back to it. 

Dana is also going to try to post activities/ideas for doing things with your family to celebrate your freedom to educate your children at home.  Dana is a gifted educator and writer with wonderful ideas, so I'm sure that whatever she shares will be a treat for us all.  It will also be nice to read the posts of others during the week.  Enjoy!